Recently released French mystery film “The Blue Room” chronicles an extramarital affair that causes at least one murder. One may be surprised to see the phrase “at least one murder,” but in this nebulous film the only events that are entirely certain are the dispassionate seduction, the singular unequivocal murder and the court verdict at the end.
Mathieu Amalric’s adaptation of the novel “La Chambre Bleue” by Georges Simenon keeps the audience guessing by virtue of its nonlinear narrative. Unlike many recent films, the non-sequential timeline is intuitive and has a clear past vs. present touchstone in the form of main character Julien’s facial hair. What makes the disjointed storyline such a success, though, is the way it feeds the audience with a maddeningly slow trickle of information that only sparks more questions.
The mystery surrounding the murder is the driving force of this film, and the way the plot begs the audience to solve its riddles is where the true strength of “The Blue Room” lies.
Although the whodunnit game is the most enjoyable aspect of this movie, “The Blue Room” is not about exposing the murderer (or, possibly, the murderers) — it is about how Julien’s apathy, indecision and passivity cause his life to crumble around him.
Julien is a man who has everything he thinks will make him happy but still finds himself just going through the motions. Even while he is on trial for murder, Julien remains impassive or too dumbfounded to muster any emotion. This may sound like a fault in the acting of Mathieu Amalric, who stars as Julien in addition to his role as director, but in reality his understated emotion makes him feel more relatable.
“The Blue Room” enjoys solid acting across the board, and Stéphanie Cléau’s (Esther) performance is particularly noteworthy. Her cryptic eyes, controlled tone and careful phrasing form a haunting persona that is chilling.
For a movie revolving around sex and death, I expected “The Blue Room” to be more gripping. The erotic opener and the initial thrill of Julien and Esther almost being discovered could have set the tone for a more lively film. That is not to say that the film is slow, but it seemed to lack the visceral momentum the trailer advertised. In fact, the most alarming scene in the movie is one in which Julien is doing nothing more exciting than speeding.
Part of this may be because the movie tends to emphasize visually stunning snapshots over actions. When I think back on the film, the disheveled bed, the blue bee wallpaper, the vacant bathroom and the droplet of blood staining a white sheet stand out more in my mind than the sex or the court conviction. These uninhabited moments function as breaks in an otherwise chaotic narrative.
“The Blue Room” is not the kind of movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, but the enigmatic storyline kindles an intrigue that only intensifies as the story progresses. I recommend seeing this film with someone you feel comfortable whispering your theories to because trying to piece together this puzzle is what makes “The Blue Room” so engaging. This is a must-see for mystery fans.
@ChronyArts